NFL and Fanatics Score Major Legal Victory, But the Battle Over Online Merchandise Is Far From Over

It has led to legal challenges. In one of them, the NFL has secured a preliminary win.

Because the presiding judge was appointed by President Barack Obama, the basic political affiliation will make the judge more likely to allow the case to proceed. For now, however, the plaintiff has failed to meet the basic bar for pursuing the case against the NFL and Fanatics.Here’s the scoop: the NFL, that colossal titan made up of 32 fiercely independent yet oddly synchronized franchises, has once again found itself tangled in the murky waters of antitrust accusations. These teams may battle fiercely on the field, but behind the scenes, they’re rowing the same corporate boat—and it’s causing some legal waves. Recently, a federal judge threw out a class-action lawsuit—not permanently, mind you—targeting the league’s strict online merchandise rules, which some argue stifle competition and jack up prices for fans. Casey’s Distributing, Inc., alongside Fanatics, is challenging the NFL’s tight grip on who can buy and resell its gear online. Though the judge acknowledged the challengers have felt the sting, he ruled that the case didn’t quite hit the legal mark on antitrust injury. The battle’s far from over, but for now, the NFL dodged a significant bullet. Curious for more? LEARN MOREIn a nutshell, Casey’s Distributing, Inc. argues that the NFL illegally restricts the ability of certain distributors to buy NFL merchandise and to resell it online. The judge found that the civil complaint doesn’t sufficiently allege an antitrust injury. The NFL’s business practices routinely dance on the line of the antitrust lawsuits. Even though they are 32 independent, competitive businesses, they row their boats in the same general direction.“While plaintiffs have been harmed by the actions of the defendants, the law protects competition, not competitors,” the judge wrote in his 12-page ruling.

Via Reuters, federal judge Andrew Carter Jr. dismissed without prejudice a class action challenging the NFL’s online merchandise distribution rules, which allegedly reduce consumer choices and increase prices. Fanatics is also a defendant in the case.It wasn’t a full dismissal; the case is not over. The plaintiff has until July 30, 2025 to amend the complaint to address the flaws in the presentation of the case.